Category: Caribbean

Submitted by Sarah D’Antonio on the 2024 Winter service-learning study abroad program in Barbados…

Participating in an international service-learning program isn’t just about community service. There is this common misconception that the sole purpose of a “mission” or “service” trip is to promote the welfare of others and make a difference in communities outside of our own. Yet, the definition of service goes way beyond compassion and empathy between cultures.

An organization’s commitment, or in our case, a university’s commitment to service-learning programs is intended to rid or reduce a divergence between cultures and communities different from what we know, but there is a duality that exists to accomplish this. The purpose of a service-learning experience needs to not only emphasize the service aspect but also prioritize learning.

During our first week here in Barbados, we were informed of this concept called the “missionary tendency”. The missionary tendency is when people volunteer to participate in service trips only with the intention to do good for others in the host country and fail to recognize the reciprocity in its purpose. It is important to realize that this experience not only includes impacting the community, but also learning something from those we are helping and taking home new perspectives and lessons to share with our own communities at home.

For this particular service-learning experience, we have made it our intention to learn lessons and new cultural perspectives to take home with us. However, this intention can only be achieved by fully immersing ourselves in Bajan culture and making meaningful connections with locals and the students we work with. The learning experience and what we take home with us is really what is going to make a difference and bridge existing divides between cultures. (Submitted on January 11, 2024)

Submitted by Michael Rimbey on the 2024 Winter HDFS program in Barbados…

During my 7 hours of being on different planes on the way to Barbados in early January, I couldn’t help but feel excited and also nervous for the journey that was ahead. I was not sure what to expect, but I understood that it would be a lot different than what I was used to. After meeting many different people this first week, I already feel comfortable and accepted being here in this new environment and am beyond excited for the rest of this journey abroad.

In this first week, we have done a lot of things to help us get accustomed to the island and see some of the great things this place has to offer. Such things included a bus tour around the island, a glass bottom boat excursion, a tour of Harrison’s Cave, and some placements in the local primary schools here. In these placements, we are assigned to a teacher or two, and we assist in teaching the kids their curriculum and also a little bit about where we are from and how it is different from here. The children in these primary schools, which are ages from 4 to 11, took no time in getting comfortable with us and just loved hanging out and being in our presence. It is an extremely heart-warming feeling to have them grab you by the arm and begin showing you around the school. For a lot of them, it was their first time meeting someone from the United States, and so I am doing my best to represent our country in a positive way. Helping out at these schools is a great way to immerse myself in their culture and understand what it is like to grow up and learn on the island. 

One person I have connected with here is a man named David, who has lived in Barbados his whole life and makes most of his money by selling jewelry on the beach. After seeing him walk by a couple times, I decided to invite him over to our area and talk to him for a little bit. After having a conversation with him, I decided to help his cause and purchase a bracelet, made entirely out of coconuts. One thing I have noticed while being here is that everyone is extremely friendly and welcoming, just wanting you to have the best experience possible when visiting their homeland. I am excited to continue to embrace these new experiences during my time here and bring my knowledge back home to the United States. (Submitted on January 11, 2024)

Submitted by Taylor Donahue on the 2024 Winter CIEG program in Barbados…

The second week in Barbados allowed our group to explore more of the island and see some of the cool markets the town has to offer. We traveled to the Oistins fish market where their weekly fish fry was occurring. There was a lot of great food and we were able to talk to a lot of locals and other travelers in Barbados. We were also fortunate enough to have guest lecturers from the coastal planning and zoning departments of Barbados. They were very informative and showed us their plans on how to maintain healthy and happy coasts here.

The snorkeling and other animals here have been breathtaking. We have monkeys in our courtyard at Bellairs that have come out and play while we do our work. This has been oneof the best ways to take and break and soak in all the natural beauty we have here. One of the courses I’m taking here is coastal engineering, and it is amazing to see how research on this could help preserve this beautiful island. The appreciation for the beaches here inspires and motivates me to bring some of these practices back home. (Submitted on January 11, 2024)

Submitted by Olivia Sheetz on the 2024 Winter NURS program in the British Virgin Islands…

My first week abroad has been nothing short of remarkable. Throughout the first few days, I have been able to learn about the British Virgin Islands’ culture from the locals in addition to the environment around me. One thing in particular that has stood out to me is how much the terrain in the BVI varies from the terrain in Delaware. There are many mountains which makes transportation very difficult and dangerous. 

We are fortunate enough to have a taxi driver, Buckle, who is able to both safely navigate these mountains as well as answering any questions we have about a new culture. The roads are built into the mountains primarily from cement with little guardrails, road signs, or lights. They are exceptionally steep and have sharp curves. It is fascinating to see and hear how the people who live here navigate these roads. Something that stood out to me particularly was when I asked Buckle if there are many accidents here. He explained that if anything there are less accidents because the people here must drive more safely compared to regular roads. Something as simple as these differences emphasize how unique the culture in the British Virgin Islands is and further proves the simplicity and closeness of the community.

Submitted by Travis Johnson on the 2024 Winter HDFS program in Barbados…

The first week in Barbados was packed with lessons, excursions and experiences that helped familiarize the group with the island and its culture. The first day primarily consisted of travel, with students arriving in Bridgetown, Barbados from Baltimore, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Dr. Gaines-Hanks, our program director greeted us at the airport upon arrival, and coordinated a bus ride to our place of residence for the trip from there. During our ride to the hotel, the group quickly began to realize the beauty of the island, with breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea from the crests of the country’s rolling hills, and the palm tree lined streets. We ended the first day with a group dinner, and despite everyone’s long travel days, the group was energetic and excited for experience we were about to embark upon.

Over the next two days, the group began its program introduction, classes and reflections. Our first class focused on getting all of the students introduced to each other, as the group comprises of students from many different majors. The following day, our class focused more on the Bajan and Caribbean culture. A guest speaker taught us about the different types of Caribbean music, and how many concepts in the music are seen in genres around the world, such as polyrhythms and use of call and response. After learning the components of Caribbean music, we learned two popular Bajan songs. To close out the third day, we traveled to Bridgetown to have a very nice dinner with two representatives from the US Embassy in Barbados, who welcomed us to the country, and shared stories from their careers before answering our questions and sharing dinner with us.

The first week also consisted of some excursions and activities that allowed us to experience some of the recreational opportunities the island has to offer. On the first full day, Dr. Gaines-Hanks took us for a walking tour of our local community, Holetown, stopping by various points of interest in the community such as the grocery store, popular restaurants, the beach, and an
outdoor mall. The next day, our group spent time on the beach, enjoying the calm water of the Caribbean and local foods such as fish cakes, and later spent time with members of the other UD Study Abroad group that is also in Barbados for the winter. To end our week, the group went out on a boat tour and snorkeling, seeing countless fish and turtles, and even an old
shipwreck. The first week in Barbados allowed for us to get familiar with the Island and experience its beauty, but we also learned a lot about the culture. From things like our music history lesson, to simply noticing that everyone here says hello in passing and treats your like family, we are beginning to understand the culture which we are in. As the first week comes to a close, we will begin preparing for the beginning of our teaching placements next week. (Submitted on January 9, 2024)

Submitted by Ashley Cooke on the 2024 Winter NURS program in the British Virgin Islands…

At the beginning of this week, 13 other girls and I arrived in Tortola for our nursing study abroad trip. As we start clinicals next week, this week was more geared towards orienting ourselves to the culture and way of life down here. Our accommodations are just a short walk to the beach, so we have really enjoyed our down time and started to read our suggested book, “Island Queen” as a part of our classwork. Spending a full day out on the boat snorkeling was definitely the highlight of my week this far, and I think many of the girls would agree. Last night, we all tried a local dish, roti, that most of us had never tried before. It was definitely something very different from what I normally eat, but I still enjoyed it. At our debrief meeting a couple days ago, we all talked about something that has surprised us since arriving here. For me, it was how friendly all of the local people are to us. It is normal to greet everyone you pass with a “Good morning!” or “Good afternoon!” This has definitely been an adjustment, as most of us have been taught the idea of “stranger danger” from a young age. However, everyone I have met has been very kind, and word must travel fast around the island as many people will see us and recognize us as “the nursing students.” Seeing how welcoming and genuine the local people and learning how open they are to having conversations with strangers has been a great part of my first week here! (Submitted on January 8, 2024)

Submitted by Bianca Soutar on the 2024 Winter NURS program in the British Virgin Islands…

I am studying abroad in the British Virgin islands for nursing. During my first week here we have already done so much and I have learned so much about the culture here. One thing that has surprised me is how friendly everybody is in this area. Everybody says hello to us and starts a conversation to get to know us, which is very different from people in America. I think that was a big culture shock for me and I really love the atmosphere here because of how friendly the locals are to each other and us.  Also, the area we are in is a very tight knit community and everybody seems to know each other which was very interesting and cool to me. I also was able to try some new foods here, one being Roti which is a very popular dish in BVI. I am a very picky eater as well and am forcing myself to branch out and try new foods and am really surprised by how much I like different foods. We also are doing clinicals at the hospital here, so it is very interesting to see the difference in the healthcare system in a new country. Today was our first day of clinicals, so we just met all the nurses and got shown around the hospital, but I am excited for tomorrow where we get to be more hands on with patients. All in all I had a great week in BVI and have already learned so much about the culture here and tried new things! (Submitted on January 8, 2024)

Submitted by Caitlin Greeff on the 2024 Winter HDFS program in Barbados…

On January 3rd, I arrived in Barbados for the first time, unaware of what to expect. After spending the first few days exploring the island, it was clear that the water was the place to be. The crystal clear water and amazing activities that can be done are unlike anything I have experienced before. Our entire group knew we needed to try some for ourselves.

After getting in touch with a Barbados local, the 16 students on the HDFS 24W Barbados trip embarked on a glass-bottom boat excursion where we went snorkeling with sea turtles, various fish, and stingrays, and explored a shipwreck. Having this experience not only provided us with amazing views and pictures that will last a lifetime but also gave us the opportunity to interact with three locals on the boat who taught us about their experience living on the island. The captain told us funny stories about his favorite things to do on the island and showed us some of his favorite spots! There was an exhilarating feeling the moment we jumped off the top of the boat into beautiful, blue waters and were greeted by sea turtles who swam right up to us. The experience of going on a boat with locals from the island who were so welcoming and truly cared about making this a memorable day for us is one that I will never forget. (Submitted on January 7, 2024)

Submitted by Brooke Gaenzle on the 2024 Winter CIEG program in Barbados…

This first week in Barbados has been so cool! We’re currently staying at the Bellairs Research Institute and studying coastal processes and Matlab. It’s been especially interesting to be able to learn about coastal processes in class and then see them happening on the beach. I spend most of my time exploring the coast, swimming, and snorkeling when not in class. While dining this, I’ve been able to explore the coral reefs that line the west coast of Barbados and allow for a natural breaking point for the Caribbean waves. And we’ve been able to measure strips of the beach to create beach profiles using our Matlab skills. While exploring the city, I found the people of Barbados to be extremely friendly and welcoming. I’ve received so much advice from locals about where to eat, where to surf, and what places to visit. I’m incredibly excited to keep exploring the island and learning more about the coastal environment! (Submitted on January 7, 2024).

Submitted by Jocelyn Juliano on the 2024 Winter CIEG program in Barbados…

So far, Barbados has been really nice. One of the best things that I have enjoyed here is the amount of time spent outdoors. In the winter at home, I feel like I waste a lot of my day because it is cold out and there isn’t much to do, and it is harder to wake up early in the morning and start my day. However, when the weather is nice, I love to wake up early and start my day. So far in Barbados, I have been waking up around 6am or 7am, and I go for a walk on the beach. Then, we have class from 9-12, and then after I go to the beach again. We also have a lot of excursions planned throughout the month that we are here, which includes a cave tour, a few island tours, and garden tours on the island. There is so much to do and I spend so much more time enjoying the day as opposed to when it is cold out. It is definitely a slower pace of life in Barbados compared to the United States, and it is a cool experience to see what it is like to live on an island. I definitely utilize the entire day when I am here, and I accomplish a lot when I start the day early and get outside. One of our classes is a coastal engineering class, so being in Barbados is the perfect setting that allows us to utilize our environment for the purpose of class. Yesterday, we made tools that allowed us to take measurements for the beach profile. We measured the elevation differences down the slope of the beach and into the water to be able to plot the beach profile and understand the beach we are on. It was really interesting and informative because we got to apply what we have learned in class to the environment we are living in for the month. I am definitely excited to continue to learn more about coastal engineering while we are in Barbados, and also excited to learn more about the environment and culture along the way.